Air inflated boxing gloves



Dec. 24, 1957 c. VRANA 2,817,088

AIR INFLATED BOXING GLOVES Filed July 15, 1955 INVEN TOR. WK Z44 7)" VEAAA United States Patent AIR INFLATED BOXING GLOVES Charles Vrana, Paterson, N. J.

Application July 13, 1955, Serial No. 521,767

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-18) This invention relates to athletic boxing gloves, and particularly to boxing gloves in which the punching body is inflated with air. This application is an improvement on copending application filed March 3, 1955, Serial No. 491,868, Div. 62.

Boxing gloves in which the punching body is inflated With air has the advantage of being very light in weight, and may be inflated as soft or as firm as the boxers wish. Being designed for exercise and fun and action rather than for knockouts, they have the advantage of being safe for children as well as adults.

In copending application the air pressure on the fist pocket is relied upon to hold the air inflated boxing glove to the fist. The present improvement comprises means to keep the fist pocket open and free for the hand to slip in or out easily when the punching body is inflated with air.

Other improvements are to increase their safety for heavier punching, and their usefulness by replacing the outer punching body proper should it become worn or damaged beyond repair.

Further objects of construction will become more apparent when read in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an air inflated boxing glove partly broken away to show a rigid circular shell fist pocket surrounded by replaceable protective balloons and replaceable outer punching body.

Figure 2 illustrates a partial top view of the outer punching body proper of Figure 1, showing wide beaded neck and conventional air inflating means.

In Figure 1 is shown a complete air inflated glove that is sufficiently substantial in construction to withstand even heavy punching. It has a rigid shell fist pocket 61 circular in form, surrounded by a series of individually spaced and detachable balloons 66, 67, and 68 to act as cushions.

Fist pocket 61 extends from angular open neck 60 down to semi-globular bottom 63. This rigid fist pocket may be made of rigid plastic, light metal or other suitable material. It is rigid so that the air pressure from inflated balloons surrounding it does not have any eifect on collapsing it, and the hand is free to enter and come out freely.

Within lower portion of fist pocket 61 is a hand grasp 64 extending from one wall to the other, held secure by rivets 65 through the pocket wall into the grasp 65.

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As the fist pocket shell progresses upward from about the middle, there are steps 62 which make the diameter smaller. This gives the fist more room than the wrist and improves the looks of the glove. The bottom of each step is grooved 62a for the purpose of retaining the elastic encircling the beaded neck portion 69 of each balloon.

The lower portion of outer side of fist pocket is surrounded by balloon 66, its neck held in groove 62a at the bottom of 62 by elastic 70, which balloon is of heavier wall thickness than 67 and 68 to absorb and yet hold away any blow against 63. Air is blown into conventional air stem with stopper 72a which air enters 66a through the air stem opening 72 in fist pocket wall and makes the air compartment 66a.

Middle portion of outer fist pocket has similar arrangement of balloon 67 surrounding it including the balloon 66. It is similarly held at one 62a at the bottom of one 62, and similarly inflated through air stem 73a, which air goes down through air inlet 73 in wall of fist pocket into section between balloons 66 and 67 making the air chamber 67a.

68 is the outer balloon or punching body proper, and 71 is its air inflating means.

In use first balloon 66 is blown up making air compartment 66a. Then balloon 67 is blown up making air compartment 67a. Balloon 68 is blown up last making air compartment 68a. Hand is slipped into fist pocket 61 to encircle hand grasp 64. This forms a light sturdy punching glove well protected to cause any injury.

Having described the air inflated boxing gloves in detail, the improvements I claim as novel and useful over copending application are as follows:

1. An air inflated boxing glove including an inner elastic balloon having an opening with an interiorly spaced rigid fist pocket extending into the balloon from the opening thereof, means for inflating the balloon through the wall of the fist pocket, a second inflatable balloon spaced exteriorly about the inner balloon from the vicinity of said opening forming a protective air pocket at the bottom of the fist pocket, means for inflating the second balloon, an outer balloon forming a punching body spaced exteriorly about said second balloon from the vicinity of said opening and having a wide beaded neck at said opening, means for inflating said outer balloon, said fist pocket having means for retaining said balloons assembled therewith, and elastic means encircling the beaded neck of said outer balloon to retain the same in air tight relation about the open end of said fist pocket.

2. An air inflated boxing glove according to claim 1, in which the fist pocket and balloons are all separable from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 531,872 Shibe Ian. 1, 1895 1,053,204 Morrison Feb. 18, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,149 Great Britain July 14, 1887 739,377 France Jan. 11, 1933 

